Page 24. MAINE BOATBUILDERS SHOW
Profile - Giffy Full
Continued from Page 22.
that would meet the new law. Full said that ever saw. And they cooked them right over said what do you want. She asked, well did
he was never happy with that boat, she just on the island on a fire. I am telling you there you see the boat? Did you see the KITTI-
big estate down in Newburyport and has a was not a good model. He said that she was most have been 1,200 people at that launch- WAKE? I said oh yeah and I turned around
nice yacht called the VANITY that she keeps like a pumpkin seed, and if the first wave did ing. They ran the passenger boat back and and started back to the office again and she
up in Maine in the summer time.” Charlotte not stop her, the second one would. She was forth all day long. One part of their operation said come back here. Did you like it? I said
than asked how old she was to which Full still successful, but when they had earned was taking people out fishing, and as the oh yeah I liked it very much. Well, do you
said, “Well I don’t know. I am not a good enough money they opted to have a new fish got scarcer and scarcer they did not think think we are going to get it? I said oh yeah
judge of age. May be she is 35, possibly 36.” boat built. it fair to the customers when they did not we already own it.”
His wife exclaimed, “What! You are going to They went to Beal & Bunker, Wilford catch anything. They ran her one more year Charlotte’s MS was getting worse and
run this lady’s yacht?” and Full said, “Yeah Bunker and Clarence Beal, but the boat was and then made a major business mistake; they they figured they could cruise south one
it is just another job, another boat you know.” actually built by Red McAllister. Full said, rerigged her for offshore lobstering and lost more winter. He asked if she wanted to go
Well the truth is Helen Mosely at the “He was a master builder and there wasn’t their shirt. They sold out to a partner and back to Marblehead, where they still had a
time was about 70 years old. So, following anything he couldn’t do. I drew up the boat saved some. home, but she wanted to live in Brooklin. He
the interview on the boat, Full asked if she originally and then made a model of it. But Now off the yachts and out of the pas- asked about buying property, but was told
would come to his house and met his wife, to when you are not sure of what you are do- senger boat business, and ready to retire from that everything is larger tracks of land. How-
which she agreed. When they walked in Char- ing, you better get somebody who is. I was the surveying business, Full and his wife ever, while Full was teaching a course at the
lotte came out to meet them it was obvious not going to risk all the money the boat was purchased a Bunker & Ellis pleasure cruiser, WoodenBoat School he noticed a house that
that Charlotte would make Full pay! going to cost to build based on what I drew. called KITTIWAKE in the late 1980s. Full was vacant in Brooklin. He asked about the
After five years working for Mosely, she Sonny Hodgdon had a naval architect that explained, “One day I happened to be home, owner about it and was informed that some-
passed away. worked for him, Miles Fitch. I gave him all phone rang and it was Mrs. Porter and she one was planning to buy it and the 28 acres
Full was also involved in operating a the stuff and I said you take this and you said Giffy, when we met you said you she sat on to add to their estate. Full asked
passenger boat business in Marblehead, make it a finished product and he did. My thought our boat was one of the nicest the owner if they would sell just the house.
which was run by other people. His first boat brother and I had the first one built. Then Downeast boats you ever seen. I said yeah Well, just days later the owner called him
had been built by Atlantic Boat in East Bos- this lady from Hampton Beach, New Hamp- she is. She said well, we’ve got to sell her and said that the potential buyers could not
ton in the early 1920s. She had originally shire called and wanted to see the boat. She and I thought you might like to have her. My settle the estate for another 18 months and
been steam, but had been converted to gaso- had three built. Then they built the MISS wife was getting a lot worse and I was ready that if he wanted it, it was his. Full and his
line power. Following World War II she was LIZZIE, which is a different laid out boat. to call it quits and retire and I am glad I did. If wife came and saw the house and in ten min-
stripped and given a bus configuration, with Then they built another one with a different I hadn’t quit when I did my wife would never utes owned it.
a windshield forward and a cockpit with lots layout with the pilot house way forward, the have got to go on her.” After five years of cruising the East
of seats behind the helmsman. Full bought SEA PRINCESS. Full was surveying a boat over on Coast in KITTIWAKE, they sold her and
her about 1955, ran her the first summer and Full only made one mistake. He said, Islesboro and the Porters brought the boat came ashore. Charlotte would pass away not
by September she had paid for herself. The “When the first boat was built we weren’t by for Full to see. She needed some work, long after they moved in, but Full has re-
following winter he helped refasten her bot- going to have any launching party to speak but it was nothing that Full could not deal mained, even though he does head off in the
tom and rebuild her stern. Unfortunately new of cause it was so far away from Marblehead with. The Porters set a good price and Full dead of winter for the warmer climates of the
regulations were being written and not feel- and the people in Marblehead got upset. Oh bought her. He added, “I decided I was go- south. He has owned several boats during
ing that she would pass because her plat- that’s terrible not to have a launching party. ing to raise some hell with my wife again. So this time, some even made of fiberglass, and
form was level with the waterline, they sold We all want to come up. About 60 people I came in the house and hugged my wife and has tried to stop surveying but some have
her. from Marblehead came up and they came gave her a kiss and went right down through managed to twist his arm once in a great
Then his brother wanted to go into busi- prepared because they built two of the big- the hall to my office. She hollered to me come while. What is most impressive is the knowl-
ness with him and they purchased a boat gest friggin’ wash tub chowders that you back here, come back here. I went back and edge this man has and is willing to share.
2010 Maine Lobster Boat Racing Schedule
SCHEDULE
19 JUNE
Boothbay Harbor
Nick Page (207) 380-5295
Marshall Farnham (207) 380-5892
20 JUNE
Rockland
Steve Brooks (207) 354-8763
3 JULY
Moosebec Reach, Beals Island/Jonesport
Eric Blackwood (207) 598-6681
10 JULY
Searsport
Keith and Travis Otis (207) 548-6362
11 JULY
Stonington
Nick Wiberg (207) 348-2375
24 JULY
Friendship
Wes Lash (207) 832-7807
25 JULY
Harpswell
Henry Barnes (207) 725-2567
14 AUGUST
Winter Harbor
Chris Byers (207) 963-7139
15 AUGUST
Merritt Bracket, Pemaquid
Don Drisko (207) 677-2432
Laurie Crane (207) 563-8707
Sponsored by:
22 AUGUST
MS Lobster Boat Race, Portland
Keith Jordan (207) 799-6718
16 OCTOBER
Awards Banquet, Rockland
Dinner reservations (207) 223-8846
Trade Winds Inn (207) 596-6661
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